Alex Pereira Shuts Down Rematch With Current UFC Champion
Alex Pereira has dismissed the idea of a rematch with a current UFC champion.
Pereira currently has his sights set on light heavyweight gold. He'll be fighting for the vacant 205-pound gold in the co-main event of UFC 295 inside Madison Square Garden in New York City. He'll share the Octagon with Jiri Prochazka on November 11.
"Poatan" is a former UFC middleweight champion. Many have wondered if he'll eventually move back down to the weight class. If he does, it won't be against the current 185-pound champion.
(Jasmin Frank/USA TODAY Sports)
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Back in July 2022, Alex Pereira knocked out Sean Strickland in the first round of their UFC 276 bout. Since that time, Strickland has trained with Pereira and is the current UFC middleweight titleholder after defeating Israel Adesanya at UFC 293 in Sydney, Australia. During an appearance on "The MMA Hour," Ariel Helwani asked Pereira if he would consider having a rematch with Strickland.
"No, no, it's not in my plans," Pereira said through a translator. "My plan was if Israel Adesanya was still the champion there, maybe win the light heavyweight belt and make a fight with him, but now, no. Sean is my friend, and also, it's not a weight cut I'm looking to do. I always make that weight, never miss weight or anything like that, but it is a hard weight cut. So, right now it's not in my interest."
Strickland's first title defense has not been made official. UFC CEO Dana White has said that an immediate rematch with Adesanya makes sense, but he didn't confirm that would be the plan.
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